The days of ordering a KFC feast after being influenced by advertising during cricket could soon be a thing of the past, if Teal’s independents have their way.
Two high-profile Teal MPs are pushing for a ban on junk food advertising on Australian television screens during most major sporting events, such as the current summer of cricket.
Dr Sophie Scamps, a GP and MP for Sydney’s Northern Beaches seat of Mackeller, introduced legislation to Parliament in June calling for a complete ban on unhealthy food adverts on television and radio among 6 in the morning and 9:30 at night every day.
Dr Scamps argues that there is a “direct link between (junk food) adverts and childhood obesity” and therefore the adverts should be removed from television screens.
That would radically change television sports coverage, with cricket this week inundated with KFC and Coca-Cola advertising.
And it is not the first time the Teals, elected largely on a platform of climate change action in the wealthy urban districts of Sydney and Melbourne, have pushed restrictive health policies.
Under new policies championed by Mackellar MP Dr Sophie Scamps, this would no longer exist.
0Teals recently joined together for a similar common cause: defending against Hard Solo amid concerns that it became attractive to teenagers and children through the association of the name with the regular soft drink, Solo.
The group of independents, led by North Sydney MP Kylea Tink, came together earlier this year for a common cause: campaigning against Hard Solo.
MPs were concerned that the alcoholic flavor of the popular soft drink, a favorite of schoolchildren, would appeal to teenagers and children.
Following the campaign and complaints to the advertising watchdog, Hard Solo will be renamed Hard Rated.
Producer Carlton United Breweries has until February 9 to launch new products before the product in its current form is removed from shelves.
Dr Scamps and her fellow Teal MPs will have to rally government support for their junk food bill to pass the lower house.
She has expressed optimism that Anthony Albanese’s government can back her bill and has failed to secure support from her Teal Independent colleague Monique Ryan.
Dr. Ryan, like Dr. Scamps, is a doctor and worked as a neurologist before defeating one of the Coalition’s most promising rising stars, Josh Frydenberg.
This week’s cricket has been inundated with KFC advertising, with a constant stream of Coca Cola commercials too.
Streaming services like Kayo and subscription-based models would be subject to the same rules.
Meanwhile, the bill also recommends a complete ban on junk food advertisements on social media and online to prevent exposure.
This includes, but is not limited to, shredded and fried meat, hamburgers, hash browns, pizzas, desserts, and soft drinks.
The former family doctor argued when presenting her bill that childhood obesity costs the health system up to $11.8 billion each year.
He said the latest data suggests a quarter of children and two-thirds of adults in Australia are overweight or obese.
“We know that our children are exposed to more than 800 junk food advertisements each year on television alone, and that there is a direct link between these advertisements and childhood obesity,” said Dr. Scamps.
If the Teal Independents have their way, junk food advertising will be banned from our television screens during most major sporting events in the not-too-distant future in a bid to reduce unhealthy eating habits.
The Teals enjoyed overwhelming success among wealthy Sydney and Melbourne electorates in the 2022 election, championing stronger action on climate change, fighting corruption and gender equality.
Although each is independent, the Teals have largely voted as one, making it easy for the general public to group them together, almost as if they were their own makeshift party.
They all supported Indigenous Voice in Parliament and campaigned alongside Labor before the referendum.
Ms Tink, a former businesswoman, was particularly passionate about Hard Solo, spearheading the push to change the alcoholic drink’s name and accusing the brand of “failing the pub test” by appealing to children.
“As it currently exists, the way it’s packaged, the way it tastes, the way it’s called, it just doesn’t pass the pub test,” he said at the time.
“I would like to see it taken off the shelves and I would like to see an ongoing conversation about what types of products are brought to market.”
Dr Scamps, Zali Steggall, Dr Monique Ryan, Allegra Spender, Andrew Wilkie, Kate Chaney and Zoe Daniel have all signed their names to a campaign to change the name.
Ultimately, the company behind Hard Solo was found to have violated industry advertising codes and the drink will now be renamed Hard Rated.
Products with current branding should be available by February 9. “A brand is much more than just its name,” Tink said.
‘So if it’s the same source, for example, I would expect it to be inappropriate.
“Carlton United Brewery can definitely relaunch this product, that’s exactly what they should do.”
Whether they will have similar success in fighting junk food ads remains to be seen.